Punching and applying apparatus



April 15, 1952 A. FERMANIAN ETAL 2,593,286

PUNCHING AND APPLYING APPARATUS A. FERHANlA/V /NVENTORS GWSODERMANWJWORKMAN A T TORNEV April 15, 1952 A. FERMANIAN ErAL PUNCHING ANDAPPLYING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 7, 1949 AFERMAN/ANGJMSODERMAN 66 /NvE/vroRs W. J. WOR/(MAN A 7' TORNEV April l5, 1952A.-FERMAN1AN ET AL PUNCHING AND APPLYING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 3Filed April 7, 1949 A FERMA N/AN QMSODERMAN WJ. WOR/(MAN /N VENTO/QSApril 15, 1952 A. FERMANIAN ETAL 2,593,286

PUNCHING AND APPLYING APPARATUS Filed April 7, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 4ATTORNEY April 15, 1952 A. FERMANIAN ET AL 2,593,286

PUNCHING AND PPLYING APPARATUS Filed April '7, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 5AFERMAN/N INVENTORS QWSODERMAN WJWORKMAN @VMM Tro/QNEV Patented Apr. 15,1952 PUNCHING AND APPLYIN G APPARATUS Armen Fermanian, Rutherford,George W. Soderman, West Englewood, and William J. Workman, NorthArlington, N. J., assignors to Western Electric Company, Incorporated,New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York ,Appiicaaon April 7, 1949,serial No. 86,074

'7 claims. (c1. 154-1) 1 This invention relates to punching andapplyingv apparatus and more particularly to apparatus for punchingsolder discs from strips of solder having an adhesive material on onesurface thereof and applying the discs to articles such as crystals.

. In the manufacture of crystals for use in the communication arts.whether the crystals be produced from quartz or synthetic structuresthey are of an inherently brittlenature requiring considerable care toavoid damage thereto. The small crystal wafers before they are embodiedin electrical units of which theyarelto become parts of the mainstructures are provided with one or more lead wires secured to opposingsurfaces thereof. The lead Wires are secured to the surfaces of thecrystal by the process of soldering l requiring initially, thesecuring-of -a solder disc to the crystal wherever it is desirable tosecure a lead wire. l

An object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which is simple instructure and highly eliicient in punching a part from a supply ofmaterial and applying the part to an article.

With this and other objects in view, the invention comprises a punchingand applying apparatus embodying means to hold an article in a Vgivenposition with respect to a die which cooperates with a punch capable ofpunching a part from a material-fed to the die and to move the part onto the article. I

More specifically the apparatus includes a hollow punch connectedwith amechanism to create a vacuum in the punch during and subsequent to thepunching operation whereby the part punched from the material may beheld on the end of the punch for movement into and through a heatingelement which will heat an adhesive material disposed upon one surfaceof the part for adherence to the surface of the article wherever thepart is applied through continued movement of the punch. In the presentembodiment of the invention the article 4is a synthetic crystaldisposed' in a holder and heated to a given temperature before it isplaced in the apparatus whereby the application of the heated part willnot damage 'the lcrystal.` Furthermore, the punches are disposed inaligned pairs carried by units which include cushioning springs to avoiddamage to the crystal during the application of the .parts, cut fromtheir respective solder strips, to the opposing' surfaces of thecrystal.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the followingdetailed description when condrawings, wherein 2 Fig. l is a top planview of the apparatus, portions thereof being shown in section; l

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. l;l

. Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View taken along the line3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detailed view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig.3;

Fig. 5. is a front elevational view of the apparatus portionsthereofb'eing removed;

, Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line6-6 of Fig. l;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 'l-l of Fig.6;

`Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 8--8 ofFig. l;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line9&-9 of Fig..1;

Fig. l0 is an isometric view of the article to which the parts or solderdiscs are to be aD- l plied;

. punched.

Referring now to the drawings, attention is first directed to Fig. l0which illustrates an article 20 to which parts 2l, Fig. ll, are to besecured. The article 20 or synthetic crystal is much smaller andrelatively thin as compared to the illustrations in the drawings.

Fig. l2 illustrates the material from which the parts 2| are to beproduced. 'Ihis material includes a strip 23 of `solder having onesurface provided with a heavy coating of adhesive material 24. Asillustrated in Fig. l, two arcuate troughs 25 and 26, U-shaped incross-section, are supported to receive the strips of material 23 andguidethem to `dies 2l. The strips of material when' after passingthrough the dies extend be tween feed rollers 28 which are rotatedintermittently to advance the strips of material after each punchingoperation. Punching units 30 are supported by parallel rods 3 I, whichare supported adjacent their centers by a vertical bracket 32. Thebracket 32 extends upwardly from a base 33, upon which it is mounted,and has its upper surface 35 positioned to support a holder indicatedgenerally at 36. The holder 35 is the subject matter of a copendingapplication of G. W. Soderman, Serial No. 55,577, filed October 2'),1948.

In general, the holder includes a main member 31 and a companion member38 normally urged toward each other by split cylindrical springs 39disposed at the outer ends thereof to iirmly hold the article or crystal20 therebetween. The main member 31 is larger than the companion member38 and when disposed vupon the surface 35 the ends 'of the main membermay rest against shoulders 40 of the clamping mechanism shown in Fig. 1.Movable jaws 42 are slidable longitudinally in apertures 43 of thebracket 32 and are normally urged toward the shoulders 40 by theirrespective springs 44 to firmly clamp the ends of the main member 31 ofthe holder 30Min a xed position with respect to the units 30; Theclamping jaws 42 have portions 40 which extend through apertured lugs 41to be engaged by an eccentric member 48 of an actuating unit indicatedgenerally at 50. An end portion 5| of the Y eccentric member 48 isjournalled in a suitable bearing 52, while a similar portion 53 disposedin ax'lal alignment therewith, is journalled in a bearing portion 54 andhas a sleeve 55 vmounted on the outer end thereof together with acontrol iing'er 56. A handle 58 mounted on the outer end of the sleeve55 provides means formanual actuation of the eccentric member 48 betweenlimits determined by the finger 56 striking spaced pins vand 6|,constituting the open and closed positions for the clamping jaws 42.This mechanism as shown in Fig. 1 is in its closed position with thefinger 58 engaging the pin 60. Movement 'of the handle 58 to rock 'theeccentric member 48 clockwise until the finger 56 strikes the pin 0|,will cause the eccentric member to move the portions 46 of the clampingjaws `42 to move to the right simultaneously moving the clamping jaws 42away from the shoulders 40 to free the holder 30.

The dies 21 shown in Fig. 3 are supported by vertical members Amountedonv the vertical bracket 32 by suitable means 66 and having alignedapertures 01 to receive the'linner portion 68` of the dies 21. The diesare held in place by the aid'of screws |59 disposed in threadedapertures of the vertical members 65 whereby the cavities will bedisposed in alignment withV each other and with the portions on thearticle or crystal where the parts 2| are to be applied. Passageways 1|are provided in the dies 21 to guide the materials 23 in given' pathsthrough the dies.

nected electrically to their respective terminals 11 'and l'18. withthis arrangement, either one or both of the heating elements maybeemployed depending upon whether or not one or two parts' 2| are to beapplied to each side of the article.

The rpunch units 30, shown in detail in Fig.` 9, have carriages 80apertured to receive bearings 8| (Fig. 5) disposed concentric with theparallel rods 3| for sliding movement of the carriages 80 with theirpunch `units on the rods relative to the dies 21. The upper end of eachcarriage has an aperture 82 therein to receive a housing 83 forremovable mounting in the carriage where it is normally locked lin placeby a pin 84 receivable in an aperture 85. The pin 84 carries a handlelaterally projecting pin 88 to limit the distance the pin 84 movesoutwardly,

c Hollow pistons 90 (Fig. 9) which in the present embodiment of theinvention are modied hy- Vpodermic needles, are supported in parallelpositions by members 9| mounted for sliding movement in parallelapertures in the housing. The

members'9| have' collars S2 to abut against a surface 493 of the housing83 during the punching operation. YInner members 94 are connected attheir inner ends to the members 9| and extend through parallel aperturesin a cover 95 for the housing where their outer ends are connected toflexible tubes 06, the tubes in turn being connected to a suction supply(not shown) a valve 91 (Fig. 1). The pistons 90 are in 'alignment withtheir respective cavities 10 Vof the dies 21., the ends of the pistonsremaining in the outer portions of the dies during advancement of thematerials 23. Springs 90 are -disposed concentric with 'the Iinnermembers 94 (Fig. r9) between the cover S5 and enlarged ends 99 ofV'theinner members 'to provide resilient cushions to .compensate forvariations in thickness of the articles and lack of perfect setting of`the operating mechanism for the pistons 90.

The operating mechanism for the pistons 90 constitute means forsimultaneouly moving the carriages toward and away from each other isshown mainly in Figs. 1, 2 and 8. This mechanism includes a wheel |00supported at |0| for rotation in an aperture in the vertical bracket 32and having eccentric members |02 and |03 iixedly mounted thereon. Themembers |02 and |03 are cylindrical in general contour with theircentersV equally spaced upon substantially diametrically opposite sidesof the axis of the wheel |00. The wheel is rotated by the aid ofah'andle |05 and has a recess |06 disposed in its inner surface toregister with the spring pressed plunger |01 when the wheel is in itsneutral position. A connecting element |08 apertured at |09V to receivethe eccentric member |02 extends -beyond its respective carriage 80Where it is provided with an aperture ||0 to receive an eccentricportion of a connecting member |12. The inner shank 4 of the member ||2extends into an aperture ||5 in the adjacent carriage 80 and theposition of the carriage may be `varied `to vary the position of thepunch unit 30 carried thereby relative to its die 21 by rotating themember ||2 until the desired adjustment has been completed after whichthe member maybe locked in place by a set screw I6.

A connecting element ||8 similar in contour to the connecting' element|08 is provided for. the eccentric member |03 Yhaving an aperture ||9 toreceive the eccentric member and an aperture |20 adjacent its outer endto receive a variable connecting mechanism including an eccentric member|22. The inner end of the member |22 extends into an aperture |23 of itsrespective carriage 80 while the outer end of the eccentric membersupports a dial |24 movable relative to apointer on the connectingelement ||8 and provided with indications whereby the carriage 80 withits punch unit 30 may be moved measured distances from its punch `ci:Vthearticle to the4 articles disposed in the apparatus.` There are-numerous'sizes of articles or crystals which may receive'theparts 2 inthis apparatus.. The various knownjsizes of crystals vary also inthickness,1plus or minus given limitations. Adjustment ofthe eccentricmember |24 is made to condition the apparatus for crystals of varioussizes and thus various thicknesses, while, the springs 98 in the punchunits 30 compensate for the ,plus or minusvariations in thethickness ofeach crystal. A pointer |25 has its upper end |26 positionedto registerwith a mark |21 on the wheel |00 whereby the ends of the pistons 90supporting `the parts 2| may be located in the heating elements 13 priorto their movement on to the article 20.

I 'The mechanism for intermittently feeding the material`23` totliedies`2lf is shown in Figs. 1, 2, 6 and '7; This mechanism is directlyresponsive to the actuation ofthe punch units 30 or their carriages`80'by the aid of arms |30 extending rearwardly from the carriages' andhaving notches |3| therein to receive actuating rods |32. The rods |32have their outer ends extending through apertures in vertical members|33 which cooperate with `the arms |30 in supporting the rods, thevertical members being mounted upon the base 33. Nuts |34 mountedon theouter threaded ends of the rods |32 and adjustable thereon to vary thestrokes of the rods in'their reciprocable movements are positioned' toabut against the outerrsurfaces of their vertical members |33. Springs|35 disposed concentric with the rods between the vertical members |33and nuts |36, threadedly disposed on the rods, normally urge the rodsinwardly toward the vertical bracket 32. therein including a groove |39in one wall of the aperture to slidably support pawl-like members|40-vmounted on the inner ends of the rods |32. Spring pressed plungers|4| are positioned to engage flat surfaces of the pawl members |40 `normally urging the pawl members into engagement with their respectiveratchets |43. The ratchets |43 are mounted-"upon vertical shafts |44which are journalled in bearing-like apertures |45 of their bearingbrackets |46. Pinions |41 are mounted on the shafts |44 adjacent ytheirsprockets |43 while one of the feed rollers 23 of each'pair is "mountedon the outer end ofits respective shaft, the feed rollers having theirperipheries serrated for positive engagement with the materials 23. Theother serrated feed rollers 28 are mounted on the outer ends of shafts|5| `parallel with the shafts |44 and journalled in bearing-likeapertures |52 of the bearing brackets |46. Pinions |53 mounted on thelower ends of the shafts |5| interengage the pinions |41 to be driventhereby in opposite directions whereby the driving rollers 29 in eachp'air will cooperate to advance their materials 23a given distanceduring each operating cycle of the feedingmechanism. Retaining springs|55 mounted at `|56 (Fig. 2) on their respective bearing The bracket 32has an aperture |38 6 the feed rollers 28. In the Apresent embodiment oftheinvention, the synthetic crystal 20 and its holder 36 is heated to apredetermined temperature in an oven prior to being placed in theapparatus whereby the application of the heated parts 2| to the opposingsurfaces thereof will not damage the crystal.' The holder with Athecrystal is placed in its'proper position onthe vertical bracket32, withthe main member 31'of the holder ldisposed against the shoulders 40(Fig. 1). The handle 58 is moved counterclock-l wise (Fig. 5) to movethe control nger 56 from engagement with 'the pin 6| into engagementwith the pin 60 causing .the eccentric member 49 to free the portions 46and the movableja'ilvsl 42 to move tothe ieft (Fig. 1') under`the'forces fv their springs-44until the holder is clamped against Vtheshoulders 40. During the loading of the holder with the crystal in theapparatus. the wheel |00 is in its neutral position with' the plunger|01 (Fig. 2) entering the recess |06. The operator then rotatesthe'wheel causing the eccentric members |02 and |03 to move theirconnecting elements |08 and ||3 inwardly movev ing thefcairiagesk withtheir punch units 30 f inwardly simultaneously causing the punches 90 topunch the parts 2| from` thematerials. 23 and move the parts inwardly,supported by the inner ends of the punches due to theexistence ofsuction in the hollow pistons. The pistons are moved inwardly toward thearticle until they are positioned in the heatingelements 13 where theyremain a given interval of time untilthe adhesive material 24 is heatedsufiicientlyto become softened so that it will adhere to the article.The position of the parts 2| on-the ends of the pistons within theheating elementskis determined by the rotation of the wheel |00. (Fig.8) until the mark |21 registers with the pointer |26. After the lengthof timehas elapsed `to heat the adhesive material on the parts,continued movement is applied to the Wheel |00 causing continued inwardmovement of the carriages with their piston units to move the parts intoengagement with the opposing surfaces of the crystal or article. c Theparticular structure of each piston unit 30 is such that when'the endsof the pistons 90 engage the material 23 the springs 98 will becompressed until the shoulders 22 engage their surfaces 93 of thehousings 83 providing positive supports for the pistons while punchingthe parts 2| from the material. This positive action is desirable andnecessary vduring the punching of the parts whereas it ispreferr'ed thatthe pistons be cushioned during the application of the parts to thearticle. The cushioning means is embodied in the springs 98 which enablelsatisfactory application of the parts to the article without damagingthe article. The pistons are` limited in their movement toward thearticle whereby'the carriages 80 will not move toward each other ortoward the article sufficient distances to cause the. surfaces 93 of thehousings 83 to engage the shoulders 92.

After the parts 2| have been applied to the article, a reverse movementis applied to the wheel |00 or if desired, the wheel is continued vinthe same direction to complete one revolution returning the recess |06to the plunger H01, thus returning the carriages 80 and the piston units30 to their normal positions moving the pistons 90` free of theirmaterials 23 for advancement of the material. During outward movement ofthe piston units 30 the arms |30 will engage 'the 4nuts |36 of the, rods|32 to move the rods desired dis- 7- tances to cause the pawls |40 vtorotate' the ratchets VH13 the distance of one tooth :off-each ratchet,causing rotation of the shafts lil-4 and.. |51 through their connectingpinions l'ixand vI-'53 simultaneously rotating the said feed rollers-28given distances to advance the materials. 23. The apparatus may be madeready to receive another article with its holder after the presentholder andV article are removed therefrom through the actuation of thehandle 58 to move the `control finger 5S from engagement with the pininto engagement with the pin El.

' It is to be understood that theabove described arrangements are simplyillustrative of the applicatio'n of the principles of the invention. Nu.xnerous other varrangements may be.' readily cle--r vised bythose'skilled in the art which will .ein-Y body ythe .principles of theinvention and Vfallv within the spirit and scope thereof.

What isclaimed is:

1'. .An-apparatus for punching a part from a material, having anadhesive coating on one sur'- face thereof, and applying the part to anarticle, the apparatus comprising a die formed to receive the material,Vmeans to support an article adjacent the' die, a punch movable throughthe' material and the die to the article to punch a part from thematerial and place it on the article with the adhesive surface adjacentthe article, and -a heating uni-t interposed between the die and the'Varticle adjacent the path of the punch' to heat and thus soften theadhesive coating on the part prior to its application to the article.

2. An apparatus for punching parts from 4maa4 terials having adhesivesurfaces and applying the parts to opposing surfaces of an article, theapparatus comprising means to singly hold articles of variousthicknesses at a receiving position, dies, to receive materials havingadhesive surfaces, disposed at opposite sides of the receiving position,punches for the dies movable through their materials and their dies totheir respective sidesof 'the article to punch parts from theirmaterials and place them on the adjacentsurfaces of the article., and a'mechanism to cause movement of the punches' including relativelyadjustable elements to vary'the positions of the punches relative toeach other to compensate for the varying thicknesses of the articleswhereby the parts punched from the materials will be disposed .on theopposing surfaces of the article substantially simultaneously. ,c l

3. An apparatus for punching parts from ma# terials having adhesivesurfaces and .applying the parts to opposingsurfaces of an article, theapparatus comprising means to support an article at .a given position,dies, to receive the rmaterials, disposed at opposite sides of thearticle, punches for the dies movable through their materials and theirdies to their respective sides of the article to punch parts vfrom theirmaterials and place them' on the adjacent surfaces of the article, amechanismV operable to simultaneously actuate the punches to cause themto punch the parts from the materials and apply the parts singly -toarticles .of various thicknesses, and an eccentric element in .theoperablemechanism movable to vary the relative movement of the punches'to' compensate for variations in thev thicknesses' of thev successivearticles.

Vand 'apply them to the article, and an eccentric element, included .inthe mechanism movable-to' causeyariationin the' position of @ne of thevpunches 'relative to the said, given position, to compensate 'for the.thickness of the article whereby" the punches will apply their parts totheirlresp'ective surfaces of the article simultaneously.

.5. An apparatus for punching parts from a strip -of :solder .having anadhesive material on one surface thereof and applying the solder partsto `articles whereby terminals may be'soldered to the articles, theapparatus comprising a die, means to guide the solder strip-adjacent thedie, means to support thearticies singly at a given position relative tothe die, a `hollow .punch movable-throughthe vsolder and adhesivematerial and .through the die to punch a part from the solder andmaterial and force it into close engagementvrlth the article to causethe material of the. part to adhere thereto, means to create a suctionin the punch to hold the part on the end thereof'until it is disposed inengagement with the article, and a heating element inter-A posed.between the die and the article adjacent thepathof thepunch to heat andthereby soften the adhesive material before it reaches the article.

#6:.' apparatus for punchingl parts from strips of.. solder havingadhesive materials on given surfaces thereof and applying; the .parts toopposing surfaces of articles whereby terminals may-be soldered to thesaid. surfaces of the ,articles, the apparatus comprising spaced dies,means to feed the strips to the dies, means .interposed `between thedies to support the articles at .given'positions relative to the dies,hollow punches, means to vcreate a suction therein, and

4. 'An apparatus for punching parts from ma- Y parts l*to opposingsurface of articles of varioustl'iickne'sses disposed in like `holderseach having a mechanism operable to moveV the punches through the4solder andadhesive materials of the strips and through the dies topunch parts from thestrips and force them into close engagement with theopposing surfaces of the supported article to cause the materials of theV,parts to adhere thereto.' Q Y f1. Ari apparatus for Lpunching partsfrom Strips of solderhaving adhesive materials on given surfaces thereofand applying the parts to opposing surfaces of articles of varyingthicknesses where by terminals'may `be soldered to the Vsaid surfaces ofjtheV articles, the apparatus comprising spaced dies;'means to `feed thestrips to the dies, means4 interposed between the dies to support thearticlesa't given positions relative to the dies, hollow punches, meansto create a suction therein, a mechanism operable `to move the punchesthrough the solder and adhesive materials of thestrips and Athrough the'dies to punch parts from the strips and force theml into closeengagementwith the lolfpsing surfaces of the supported article `tocaus'efthematerial's of the parts to adhereithereto,

and resilient elements in the operable mechanism to cause movement ofthe punches varied dis tances toward the article to compensate forartcles of varied thicknesses.

ARMEN FERMANIAN. GEORGE W. SODERMAN. WILLIAM J. WORKMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

Number 10 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Kempshall Dec. 2:9, 1914MacDonald Mar. 1, 1927 Cohn Aug. 8, 1933 Perryman Mar. 19, 1935 KrauseMar. 219, 1938 Johnston June 2:2, 1943

